Heat dissipation apparatus having a heat pipe inserted therein

ABSTRACT

A heat dissipation apparatus includes a heat sink and a heat pipe thermally connecting with the heat sink. The heat sink includes a plurality of radial fins. Each of the fins defines a receiving hole therein, and extends out a flange around the receiving hole. A height of the flange increases outwardly in a direction away from a center of the heat sink. The heat pipe includes an evaporation section and an arcuate condensation section. The condensation section of the heat pipe extends through the receiving hole, and is attached to the flanges of the heat sink.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure generally relates to heat dissipation, and particularly to a heat dissipation apparatus utilizing a heat pipe for enhancing a dissipating efficiency.

2. Description of Related Art

It is well known that if heat generated by electronic components, such as integrated circuit chips, during operation is not efficiently dissipated, these electronic components may suffer damage. Thus, heat dissipation apparatuses are often used to cool the electronic components.

A typical heat dissipation apparatus includes a fin assembly and a heat pipe attached to the fin assembly. The heat pipe has an arcuate condensation section. The fin assembly includes a plurality of radial stacked fins. Each of the fins defines a hole for receiving the condensation section of the heat pipe therein, and extends perpendicularly out a flange around the hole. The flange has a uniform height. The flange increases a contacting surface between the fin assembly and the heat pipe, and compels the heat pipe to be steadily mounted in the fin assembly.

In the heat dissipation apparatus, due to the arcuate condensation section of the heat pipe, the holes of the fins must be enlarged for making the heat pipe extending easily therethrough without any block of the flanges of the fins. The enlarged holes will form an enlarged gap between the heat pipe and the flanges, which results that the heat pipe can't intimately contact with the fin assembly, and heat transferring efficiency of the heat dissipation apparatus is accordingly reduced.

What is needed, therefore, is a heat dissipation apparatus which overcomes the above-described limitations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the present heat dissipation apparatus can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the disclosed heat dissipation apparatus. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is an assembled, isometric view of a heat dissipation apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is an exploded, isometric view of the heat dissipation apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a first fin of the heat dissipation apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged and top plan view of a portion of the first fin of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a second fin of the heat dissipation apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged and top plan view of a portion of the second fin of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an isometric view showing a pair of first fin assemblies assembled to a heat pipe assembly of the heat dissipation apparatus of FIG. 1, and a pair of second fin assemblies disassembled from the heat pipe assembly.

FIG. 8 is an isometric view showing a fan disassembled from the heat dissipation apparatus of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a heat dissipation apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure is shown. The heat dissipation apparatus includes a base 10, a heat sink 30, a heat pipe assembly 20 thermally connecting the base 10 with the heat sink 30, a cylindrical heat conductive core 40 received in the heat sink 30, and a fan 50 mounted in a top of the heat sink 30.

The base 10 is a metal plate, and has a high heat conductivity. Preferably, the base 10 is made of copper. The base 10 thermally connects with a heat generating electronic component at a bottom surface thereof, and attaches to the heat pipe assembly 20 at a top surface thereof.

The heat pipe assembly 20 includes a pair of first heat pipes 21 and a pair of second heat pipes 23. Each of the first heat pipes 21 is bent to have an evaporation section 211, a condensation section 212, and an adiabatic section 213 interconnecting the evaporation section 211 and the condensation section 212. The evaporation section 211 of each of the first heat pipes 21 is straight and flat, and is mounted on the top surface of the base 10. The adiabatic section 213 extends upwardly and slantwise from one end of the evaporation section 211. The adiabatic sections 213 are located at two opposite sides of the base 10. The condensation section 212 is substantially semicircular, and extends from a free end of the adiabatic section 213 along an anticlockwise direction. The condensation sections 212 are approximately at the same level and cooperatively form a circle.

The second heat pipes 23 are similar to the first heat pipes 21, and each also include an evaporation section 231, a condensation section 232, and an adiabatic section 233 interconnecting the evaporation section 231 and the condensation section 232. The evaporation sections 231 of the second heat pipes 23 are arranged on the top surface of the base 10, and between the evaporation sections 211 of the first heat pipes 21. A free end of the adiabatic section 233 of each second heat pipe 23 is higher than that of each first heat pipe 21. The condensation sections 232 of the second heat pipes 23 are at the same level, and higher than the condensation sections 212 of the first heat pipes 21. Similarly, the condensation sections 232 of the second heat pipes 23 cooperatively form a circle. A plane defined by the condensation sections 232 of the second heat pipes 23 is parallel to a plane defined by the condensation sections 212 of the first heat pipes 21.

The heat sink 30 is annular, and includes a pair of first fin assemblies 31 and a pair of second fin assemblies 33.

Each of the first fin assemblies 31 is sectorial, and includes a plurality of radial first fins 311 stacked on each other along a circumferential direction. An air channel 312 is defined between every two adjacent first fins 311. Each of the first fins 311 includes a rectangular main body 313 and an extension arm 314 extending upwardly from an outer side of the main body 313.

The main body 313 defines a first receiving hole 315 and a second receiving hole 316 above the first receiving hole 315. The first and second receiving holes 315, 316 are circular. All the first receiving holes 315 of the first fins 311 of each first fin assembly 31 cooperatively form an arcuate first receiving groove 325 for receiving the condensation section 212 of one of the first heat pipes 21 therein. All the second receiving holes 316 of the first fins 311 of each first fin assembly 31 cooperatively form a second receiving groove 326 for receiving the condensation section 232 of one of the second heat pipes 23 therein. The first receiving hole 315 is defined in a middle of the main body 313. The main body 313 extends a first flange 317 perpendicularly around the first receiving hole 315. The first flange 317 is annular, and has a height varied along a circumferential direction thereof. Referring to FIG. 4, the height of the first flange 317 gradually increases outwardly along a direction from a center of the heat sink 30 of the heat dissipation apparatus to a periphery thereof. In this embodiment, a free end surface 318 of the first flange 317 is planar, and angles from the main body 313. The second receiving hole 316 is adjacent to the extension arm 314, and located beside and above the first receiving hole 315. The main body 313 extends a second flange 319 perpendicularly around the second receiving hole 316. The second flange 319 has a structure similar to the first flange 317, which has a height gradually increasing outwardly in a direction away form the center of the heat sink 30 of the heat dissipation apparatus. The first and second flanges 317, 319 of the main body 313 abut the main body 313 of a neighboring first fin 311 when the first fins 311 are assembled together.

The main body 313 extends a side edge 321 perpendicularly at an inner side thereof, a bottom edge 322 perpendicularly at a bottom side thereof just below the extension arm 314, and a protrusion 323 adjacent to the side edge 321. The side edge 321 and the bottom edge 322 of the main body 313 abut the main body 313 of the neighboring first fin 311 as the first and second flanges 317, 319. A diameter of the protrusion 323 gradually decreases along a height direction of the protrusion 323 from the main body 313. The main body 313 further defines a fixing hole 324 through the protrusion 323. An inner diameter of the fixing hole 324 is smaller than the outer diameter of the protrusion 323 at a bottom end connected to the main body 313, but larger than that at a free end of the protrusion 323 which is away from the main body 313. The protrusion 323 is inserted into the fixing hole 324 of the neighboring first fin 311, for accurately aligning the side edges 321 so that they can be positioned in a line when the first fins 311 are assembled together.

The extension arm 314 extends upwardly form a top side of the main body 313, and has a width less than that of the main body 313. A top edge 327 extends perpendicularly from a top side of the extension arm 314, and is parallel to the bottom edge 322. The first fins 311 are joined together and space from each other via the top and bottom edges 327, 322.

Referring to FIG. 5, the second fin assemblies 33 are similar to the first fin assemblies 31, with each also being sectorial, and including a plurality of stacked second fins 331. An air channel 332 is defined between every two adjacent second fins 331.

Each of the second fins 331 includes a main body 333 and an extension arm 334. Like the extension arm 314 of the first fin 311, the extension arm 334 of the second fin 331 also forms a top edge 347 at a top side thereof. The main body 333 also includes a side edge 341 at an inner side thereof, a protrusion 343 adjacent to the side edge 341, and a fixing hole 344 through the protrusion 343.

The difference between the second fin assemblies 33 and the first fin assemblies 31 is that the main body 333 of each second fin 331 is substantially triangular, and thus defines a cutout 348 at a lower side thereof. The main body 333 defines a first receiving hole 335 and a second receiving hole 336 therein, aligning with the first receiving hole 315 and the second receiving hole 316, respectively. The first and second receiving holes 335, 336 each are semicircular, and exposed to and in communication with the cutout 348. All the first receiving holes 335 of the second fins 331 of each second fin assembly 33 cooperatively form an arcuate first receiving groove 345 for receiving the condensation section 212 of one of the first heat pipes 21 therein. All the second receiving holes 336 of the second fins 331 of each second fin assembly 33 cooperatively form a second receiving groove 346 for receiving the condensation section 232 of one of the second heat pipes 23 therein. All the cutouts 348 of the second fins 331 cooperatively form an opening 349 at a lower side of the second fin assembly 33, whereby the condensation sections 212, 232 of the first and second heat pipes 21, 23 can be respectively conveniently inserted into the first and second receiving grooves 345 via the opening 349.

The main body 333 extends a first flange 337 perpendicularly around the first receiving hole 335. The first flange 337 is semicircular, and has a height varied along a circumferential direction thereof. Referring to FIG. 6, a height of the first flange 337 increases outwardly in a direction away from the center of the heat sink 30 of the heat dissipation apparatus. In this embodiment, a free end surface 338 of the first flange 337 is planar, and angles from the main body 333. The main body 333 extends a second flange 339 perpendicularly around the second receiving hole 336. The second flange 339 has a structure similar to the first flange 337, which has a height increasing outwardly in a direction away form the center of the heat sink 30 of the heat dissipation apparatus. The first and second flanges 337, 339 of the main body 331 abut the main body 331 of a neighboring second fin 331.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, during assembly of the heat dissipation apparatus, the first fin assemblies 31 are oriented face to face, and space from each other. The condensation sections 212 of the pair of the first heat pipes 21 are respectively inserted into the first receiving grooves 325 of the pair of first fin assemblies 31 along the anticlockwise direction, and attached to the first flanges 317 of the first fin assemblies 31 tightly. The condensation sections 232 of the pair of the second heat pipes 23 are respectively inserted into the second receiving grooves 326 of the first fin assemblies 31 along the anticlockwise direction, and attached to the second flanges 319 of the first fin assemblies 31. A free end of each condensation section 212, 232 protrudes out of a corresponding first fin assembly 31. The first fin assemblies 31, and the first and second heat pipes 21, 23 are arranged on the base 10, with the evaporation sections 211, 231 of the first and second heat pipes 21, 23 soldered on the base 10.

The second fin assemblies 33 are inserted into spaces between the first fin assemblies 31 from top to bottom, respectively. The free end of the condensation section 212 of each first heat pipe 21 enters into and is received in the first receiving groove 345 through the opening 349 of a corresponding second fin assembly 33, and is attached to the first flanges 337 of the corresponding second fin assembly 33. The free end of the condensation section 232 of each second heat pipe 23 enters into and is received in the second receiving groove 346 through the opening 349 of a corresponding second fin assembly 33, and is attached to the second flanges 339 of the corresponding second fin assembly 33. The adiabatic sections 213, 233 of the first and second heat pipe 21, 23 are received in the openings 349. At this time, the first fin assemblies 31 and the second fin assemblies 33 are alternate with each other, and cooperatively form the annular heat sink 30.

The heat conductive core 40 is enclosed by the main bodies 313, 333 of the first and second fin assemblies 31, 33. The heat conductive core 40 attaches to the evaporation sections 211, 231 of the first and second heat pipes 21, 23 at a bottom surface thereof, and attaches to the side edges 321, 341 of the first and second fin assemblies 31, 33 at a side surface thereof. The first and second fins 311, 331 of the first and second fin assemblies 31, 33 extend out from the heat conductive core 40 in a radial pattern. The extension arms 314, 334 of the first and second fin assemblies 31, 33, cooperatively form a recessed space 39 over the heat conductive core 40. The fan 50 is received into the space 39, and is supported by the first and second fin assemblies 31, 33 of the heat sink 30.

During operation of the heat dissipation apparatus, the base 10 absorbs heat from the heat generating electronic component, which is transferred to the heat sink 30 via the heat conductive core 40 and the heat pipe assembly 20. The fan 50 produces an airflow toward the heat sink 30, and dissipates heat from the heat sink 30 into ambient air.

In the heat dissipation apparatus, since the heat sink 30 includes a pair of first fin assemblies 31 and a pair of second fin assemblies 33, the heat pipe assembly 20 can be assembled into the first and second fin assemblies 31, 33 successively. Thus, the heat dissipation apparatus is conveniently assembled even though the first and second heat pipes 21, 23 are bent to form a plurality of sections.

In addition, the height of each of the first flanges 317, 337 of the first and second fin assemblies 31, 33 increases outwardly in the direction away from the center of the heat sink 30 of the heat dissipation apparatus, and the height of each of the second flanges 319, 339 of the first and second fin assemblies 31, 33 increases outwardly in the direction away from the center of the heat sink 30 of the heat dissipation apparatus, which conform with a varied distance between neighboring fins 311, 331 along a radial direction of the heat sink 30. Therefore, without enlarging the first and second receiving holes 315, 335, 316, 336 in the first and second fins 311, 331, the condensation sections 312, 332 of the first and second heat pipes 31, 33 can be easily extended through the first and second receiving holes 315, 335, 316, 336, respectively, without being blocked by inner portions of the flanges 317, 337, 319, 339 since the inner portions of the flanges 317, 337, 319, 339 each are now designed to have a reduced height than outer portions of the flanges 317, 337, 319, 339. Thus, a gap between the condensation sections 312, 332 of the first and second heat pipes 31, 33 and the first and second flanges 317, 337, 319, 339 of the first and second fins 311, 331 is not necessary to be increased, whereby heat transferring efficiency between the first and second fins 311, 331 and the heat pipes 31, 33 of the heat dissipation apparatus is improved.

Furthermore, the fan 50 is mounted in the space 39 of the heat sink 30, and the impeller 52 is enclosed by the heat sink 30, which makes most of the cool airflow produced by the fan 50 flow through the first and second fins 311, 331. Meanwhile, the heat sink 30 enclosing the fan 50 severs as a sidewall of the typical fan, which saves material of the fan 50 and increases pressure of the airflow produced by the fan 50.

Moreover, the first and second fins 311, 331 of the first and second fin assemblies 31, 33 extend out from the heat conductive core 40 in a radial pattern. The airflow produced by the fan 50 is easily guided toward other heat generating electronic components around the heat sink 30 through the airflow channels 312, 332 between the first and second fins 311, 331. Thus, the heat dissipation apparatus not only takes heat away from the heat sink 30, but also dissipates heat from the heat generating electronic components around the heat sink 30.

It is believed that the disclosure and its advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the invention. 

1. A heat dissipation apparatus, comprising: a heat sink comprising a plurality of radial fins, each of the fins defining at least one receiving hole therein, and extending out at least one flange around the least one receiving hole, a height of the at least one flange increasing outwardly in a direction away from a center of the heat sink; and at least one heat pipe thermally connecting with the heat sink, the at least one heat pipe comprising an evaporation section and an arcuate condensation section, the condensation section of the at least one heat pipe extending through the at least one receiving hole, and being attached to the at least one flange of the heat sink.
 2. The heat dissipation apparatus of claim 1, wherein a free end surface of the at least one flange is planar, and angles from a corresponding fin.
 3. The heat dissipation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heat sink comprises a pair of first fin assemblies, and a pair of second fin assemblies alternate with the pair of first fin assemblies, the first fin assemblies each being stacked by a plurality of first fins, the second fin assemblies each being stacked by a plurality of second fins, the first fins and the second fins cooperatively forming the radial fins of the heat sink.
 4. The heat dissipation apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second fin assemblies each further defining an opening at a lower side thereof in communication with the at least one receiving hole of each second fin of a corresponding second fin assembly, a part of the condensation section of the at least one heat pipe being inserted into the at least one receiving hole of each first fin of each first fin assembly, and another part of the condensation section entering into the at least one receiving hole of each second fin of each second fin assembly through the opening of the corresponding second fin assembly.
 5. The heat dissipation apparatus of claim 3, wherein the at least one receiving hole comprises a first receiving hole and a second receiving hole, the at least one flange comprising a first flange and a second flange, each fin of the first and second fin assemblies defining the first and second receiving holes, and extending the first and second flanges respectively around the first and second receiving hole, the first and second receiving holes of each first fin assembly respectively aligning with the first and second receiving holes of each second fin assembly, the at least one heat pipe comprising a pair of first heat pipes and a pair of second heat pipes, the condensation sections of the first heat pipes extending through the first receiving holes of the first and second fin assemblies, and being attached to the first flanges of the first and second fin assemblies, the condensation sections of the second heat pipes extending through the second receiving holes of the first and second fin assemblies, and being attached to the second flanges of the first and second fin assemblies.
 6. The heat dissipation apparatus of claim 5, wherein each of the first heat pipes further comprises an adiabatic section interconnecting the evaporation section and the condensation section thereof, the adiabatic section of each of the first heat pipes extending upwardly and slantwise from one end of the evaporation section of each of the first heat pipes, each of the second heat pipes further comprising an adiabatic section interconnecting the evaporation section and the condensation section thereof, the adiabatic section of each of the second heat pipes extending upwardly and slantwise from one end of the evaporation section of each of the second heat pipes, the condensation sections of the first heat pipes being lower than the condensation sections of the second heat pipes.
 7. The heat dissipation apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the fins extends a protrusion adjacent to an inner side thereof, and defines a fixing hole through the protrusion, an outer diameter of the protrusion being gradually decreased from the fin to a neighboring fin, the protrusion being inserted into the fixing hole of the neighboring fin.
 8. The heat dissipation apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the fins comprises a main body and an extension arm extending upwardly from an outer side of the main body, the extension arm having a width less than that of the main body, the extension arms of the fins cooperatively defining a recessed space at a top end of the heat sink, a fan being mounted in the space.
 9. A heat dissipation apparatus, comprising: an annular heat sink comprising a plurality of radial fins, each of the fins defining at least one receiving hole therein, and extending out at least one flange from an outer edge of the least one receiving hole; and at least two heat pipes thermally connecting with the heat sink, each of the at least two heat pipes comprising an evaporation section, an adiabatic section extending upwardly and slantwise from the evaporation section, and a semicircular condensation section extending from the adiabatic section, the condensation sections of the at least two heat pipes cooperatively forming a circle, and being received in the at least one receiving hole of each of the fins, a height of the at least one flange gradually increasing along a direction from a center of the heat sink towards an outer periphery of the heat sink, for preventing the condensation sections of the at least two heat pipes from being blocked by the at least one flange when the condensation sections extends through the at least one receiving hole of each of the fins.
 10. The heat dissipation apparatus of claim 9, wherein a free end surface of the at least one flange is planar, and angles from a corresponding fin.
 11. The heat dissipation apparatus of claim 9, wherein the heat sink comprises a pair of first fin assemblies, and a pair of second fin assemblies alternate with the pair of first fin assemblies, the fins comprising a plurality of first fins and a plurality of second fins, the first fin assemblies each being stacked by the first fins, the second fin assemblies each being stacked by the second fins, the at least one receiving hole in each of the first fins being circular, the at least one receiving hole in each of the second fins being semicircular.
 12. The heat dissipation apparatus of claim 9, wherein each of the fins comprises a main body and an extension arm extending upwardly from an outer side of the main body, the extension arm having a width less than that of the main body, the extension arms of the fins cooperatively defining a recessed space at a top end of the heat sink, a fan being mounted in the space.
 13. The heat dissipation apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a base, the evaporation sections of the at least two heat pipes being mounted on the base. 